Mark Lyles, MDChief Strategic Officer

Medical University of South Carolina

September 25, 2014

South Carolina Telehealth Alliance

Presentation Overview• Rationale for forming the Alliance• Work product update• Next steps

Background• Telemedicine is rapidly evolving• Disparate systems and technologies• Cost of hardware and software decreasing• Comfort level increasing for patients and providers• Reimbursement now becoming possible• SC DHHS looking for creative solutions to provide care:

– Sickest of the sick

– High value care

– Enable residents of rural areas to receive care locally when possible

Background• Telemedicine goes beyond delivery of patient care• Includes research and education• Telemedicine is most effectively applied when it

improves the efficiency of the care system– “smart grid” approach to hospitalized patient triage– Accessing care at earlier points along the illness continuum – Co-management between medical homes and specialists

Work Group Formed• 14 member team assembled– 3 academic institutions (MUSC, USC, GHS)– Rural physician and hospital administrator– PCC, DMH, ETV, DHHS, ORH, SCHA

• Need for formal strategic planning assistance• Engaged The Beckham Company• Draft Strategic Plan

Draft Strategic Plan

Mission• Improve the health of all South Carolinians through

telehealth

Values• Patient centered• Quality• Collaboration• Sustainability• Accountability

Draft Strategic Plan

Vision• Telehealth will grow to support delivery of health care to all

South Carolinians with an emphasis on underserved and rural communities. It will facilitate, coordinate and make more accessible quality care, education and research that are patient centered, reliable and timely. Our state will become recognized nationally for telehealth that is uniquely collaborative, valuable and cost effective.

Value Proposition• Telehealth in South Carolina will deliver high value through

productive collaboration.

Collaboration & Palmetto Care Connections

Palmetto Care ConnectionsAdvocates for and supports patients and providers by

– Promoting telehealth awareness

– Advocating for favorable telehealth policies and regulations

– Providing education, advice and operational support for referring providers

– Coordinating telehealth activities across regions

SC Telehealth AllianceAligns telehealth providers to ensure

– Common infrastructure across services and providers

– Coordination for the optimal user experience

– Equitable and efficient use of resources across South Carolina

Draft Strategic PlanDriving Strategies1. Deploy a coordinated, open-access telehealth network in SC2. Understand and effectively respond to the needs of users of

telehealth with an emphasis on the underserved and rural3. Invest in expanding needed specialty and subspecialty capabilities

through telehealth4. Conduct statewide education, training and promotion to providers

and the public to accelerate and spread adoption of telehealth5. Develop a telehealth organization structure that encourages and

facilitates statewide collaboration among providers in the delivery of health care, education and research

6. Demonstrate to legislators, payers, providers and the public, the impact of telehealth in improving access, quality and affordability

Draft Strategic Plan• Work product shared with funders: SC DHHS and Legislators• South Carolina Telehealth Alliance• Advisory Board – 10 members with 2-year non-recurring terms:

– 2 rural physicians– 3 telehealth experts from different academic institutions– 1 member representing PCC– 1 member representing the General Assembly– 1 member representing Department of Mental Health– 1 member representing ETV– 1 member representing SC DHHS

• Establish success metrics that focus on SC care problems that are amenable to telehealth and which encourage collaboration for equitable impact

Draft Strategic Plan• Advisory Board to convene in September • Expand on draft tactics proposed by the initial work group• Goals:

– Develop full strategic plan by November 1– Be inclusive

• Additional interviews to be conducted by Beckham Group• Will include:

– Driving strategies– Tactics, sub-tactics– Responsible person(s)– Deliverables– Timeline– Success metrics